Traveling Read Aloud #sol23

Adding Good Things 

March 19, 2023

I’m reading a book with my colleague and good friend.  Joyful by Ingrid Fetell Lee examines the search for joy in our lives, the power of joy, and ways to create more joy.  For some of my remaining days, let me examine the little moments of joy that fill my days. 

Today’s moment of joy:  Abundance- So Many Read Alouds

During the month of March,  we have a sweet sixteen books at our school.  A quick contest that has us increasing our read alouds and discussions for a month.  To make it more festive and a little respite for our classroom teachers,  I travel around reading books to classrooms.  The week before I had been reading mostly The Three Billy Goats Gruff reimagined by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen.  If you haven’t read it,  one of the gems of this retell is a rapping goat who imagines gourmet dishes containing goat.  I mean, goat kale salad, hold the kale, goat curry, goat escargot.  

This Thursday,  I was making the rounds.  Here’s a little taste of my read aloud joy.  

The first stop was a fourth grade class to read the aforementioned,  The Three Billy Goats Gruff. The students were skeptical at first.  We’ve heard this.  

Have you though?  I replied.  I told them a story of reading this to kindergarteners who asked, Why is there a skull on the front of this book?  I was winning them over.  By the time we discussed the gross ear wax, they were engaged.  By the time the troll went over the final waterfall, they were cheering.   In the meantime we discussed circular endings, repeated lines, and chosen words.  A lot of fun, a little literary analysis, a great read aloud. 

My next stop was a first grade class .  I brought down one book but they were expecting another.  I read them a wild book, Chester Van Chime Who Forgot How to Rhyme.  This is a rollicking, roller-coaster of a read that encourages listeners  to talk back to the text as they correct poor Chester’s  word retrieval difficulties.  The pictures in this book mimic childhood drawings and are filled with clues of rhyming.  The class edged toward out of control in a fun, fun, pre-lunch recess way.  I didn’t want to leave. 

Finally,  I joined a kindergarten class as their mystery reader to read the inspiring story, Building an Orchestra of Hope.  The other kindergarten teachers had warned that this book was difficult for the students to understand.  I brought along some photos of Favio Chavez, the orchestra, and many of the instruments they created from the trash piles.  The listeners were interested and engaged.  I only lost them momentarily when I said the houses in the landfills didn’t have any running water and that meant no toilets.  She said toilets!  

My last read aloud wasn’t read by me.  One of my intervention students read The Three Billy Goats with me providing just the troll rapping.  

A little more than an hour of joy all told.  Inspiring readers?  Perhaps.  Filling up my tank?  Definitely!